


Thursdays

by buckybabybaby



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Gender Neutral, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-26
Updated: 2018-09-26
Packaged: 2019-07-18 01:37:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16108070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buckybabybaby/pseuds/buckybabybaby
Summary: You meet Bucky at the swimming pool and everything is perfect.





	Thursdays

 

***

 

Thursday mornings at the local sports centre mean half price entry, and as someone who hasn't even dipped a toe in the water for a good couple of years, what better time to find out if you could still get from one side of the pool to the other. At least with it being so cheap, if you decide its not for you any more in the first five minutes you won't feel so cheated.

So that's how you find yourself early one September morning, dangling your feet in the cool liquid, watching the sunrise through the large windows running the length of the room. The high ceiling and imposing viewing area to the left of you make you feel small and exposed, so without thinking too much about it you slip into the water. To your relief it doesn't feel as cold as you expect. Given the time, there's only one other person in the pool with you so, to acclimatise yourself, you let your body relax and float facing upwards. The chlorine ruining your hair isn't on your mind as you stare at the ceiling, lazily moving your legs against the slight resistance, enjoying the experience more than you thought and promising yourself to come regularly from now on.

A voice comes from behind you, muffled through the water, but it still manages to startle you enough that you splutter out a few curses as your feet find the floor again. Turning around, you're ready to apologise for your outburst but the words die in your throat as you recognise your fellow swimmer. Why, the first time you meet an Avenger, do they have to be half naked and dripping wet? It isn't fair. Even just watching them on the news leaves you flustered, and everyone who knows you knows you have a bit of a thing for Bucky Barnes, so much so that last year your room mate Peggy had got you a life size cut out of him for your birthday. That flimsy piece of cardboard has nothing on the real deal though, you realise as you struggle to keep your eyes on his face and not his chest.

He's holding your locker key wristband out to you. “Sorry for scaring you. I think you dropped this.”

You take it from him, hoping your small smile is enough thanks as your voice has deserted you.

“I'm Bucky, but from the look on your face, you all ready know that.” He doesn't sound cocky like he could when he says that, which calms you enough to mutter your name in reply.

“Nice to meet you Y/N,” he says while climbing the steps, “Hopefully we'll see each other around again.”

“Hopefully we will,” you reply quietly as you watch him walk towards the changing rooms. Bucky waves back before he rounds the corner, and you return the gesture, trying to look like you're not frozen in place. Once he's out of sight you let yourself fall back into the water, heart racing like you've swam fifty lengths and not been in the pool barely two minutes. As you process the interaction, and more importantly, who it was with, you grin to yourself, clutching the wristband to your chest like it was a rose he'd presented you with.

Going swimming was the best idea you've ever had.

 

***

 

Thursday quickly becomes your favourite day of the week after that. The second time you went to the sports centre you weren't expecting Bucky to be there again, hoping, but not expecting, so you only had a few seconds to compose yourself when you spot him finishing his laps as you slide into the shallow end. Reaching a hand to touch the wall, he pulls himself out and sits on the side breathing deeply before he notices you, breaking out into a grin.

“Y/N! You came back.”

You nod, hiding your delight that he remembers you by asking, “How many lengths have you done this morning?”

He shrugs. “I lost count after three hundred.”

You blow out a breath, tired just thinking about it. “I'll be impressed if I manage a tenth of that.” Stretching your arms out in front of you in a sort of warm up, you add as a joke, “Even a hundredth would be a start.”

Bucky laughs, and you stand taller with pride at being the cause of that beautiful sound. “I could swim with you if it'd help?”

“Oh, you don't have to!”

“I would like to.”

And that is how it begins. Even though he's capable of doing five lengths for your one, he keeps pace with you whenever you're at the pool, which is every single Thursday now you got such an attractive fitness buddy. But Bucky's more than just a pretty face, as you find out whilst treading water for longer than you thought possible, listening to him talk about his most recent missions and life in the Avengers tower.

Peggy quickly grows suspicious of your sudden enthusiasm for swimming and follows you secretly one day. The look of utter betrayal when she spots the reason you don't mind early mornings any more would have been funny if you didn't feel so guilty about keeping it from her. It's not like you can't trust her with a secret like this, it's just that you can hardly believe you're regularly within touching distance of the former Winter Soldier, never mind conversing with him, that you fear if any else knew it would disappear. It doesn't take much for her to forgive you though, once you give all the details of the past months going ons.

 

 

***

 

Peggy decides she finally wants to see you and Bucky interact up close at the start of the new year, and as there's nothing you can do to dissuade her you pre warn him by text. He'd given you his number a few weeks ago as the pool was closed over the holidays and he'd 'miss your conversations'. When you'd told Peggy that you'd both dissolved into helpless giggles at the complete absurdity of the situation. An Avenger, wanting your number? You had to pinch yourself daily, but even you could now see there was something more than friendly between the two of you.

Acting on it, however, could take forever.

 

***

 

“Wait a minute, surely Tony Stark has a swimming pool somewhere in that tower?” She asks as you place your bags into the lockers.

It was something you'd also queried early on.“Not yet, according to Bucky.”

“Or maybe he comes here for another reason.”

Ignoring her wink you lead Peggy towards the pool.“I think I'm falling in love,” You finally admit.

“I'd say. You wouldn't get out of bed this early for someone you didn't completely adore.” She half teases, knowing she's right.

Spotting Bucky across the room with an unmistakable blonde, you wave, tugging a suddenly reluctant Peggy behind you. You may have failed to mention Bucky was bringing a friend too, because she wouldn't have come had she known who it was. You weren't the only one with a thing for a super soldier.

“Come on, you like Steve, you think he's heroic and all that!”

“I think he's stupid, is more like it.”

“Liar,” you whisper as you go to introduce everyone. But before you can get a word out, Bucky's closing the distance between you and sweeping you up in his arms, one around your waist as the other support your legs.

“You shouldn't be on your feet Y/N!”

“Why not? Bucky, put me down!”

“Nope!”

Peggy and Steve are forgotten as you're carried away towards the smaller leisure pool, the beach entry letting him walk into it until he's waist deep, gently helping you stand by yourself.

Moving away towards the concrete island, you splash at him, frowning. “What was that for? I can walk just fine, thank you!”

“You said you twisted your ankle? I thought the warmer water would be better?” He looks lost, clearly thinking the injury you told him you'd sustained tripping over a stray bauble was much worse than it is.

“I only hurt it slightly last week, it's okay now,” You try to explain, but he still looks like a kicked puppy, so you grab his left hand with yours. “You're right though, the warm water will be better for it. Thank you for caring.”

“Of course.”

His hand is still held in yours and neither of you make a move to change that. Instead, he uses his free one to flick water at you playfully, smiling smugly at your surprised expression.

“That's for earlier.”

“Oh, it is on Barnes,”

The splash you aim back at him is much bigger than you meant it to be, and you freeze in shock as he blinks away the water, face blank as he stares back.

“If that’s how you wanna play,” he says, and you squeak, stepping backwards but your joined hands

prevent your escape, instead toppling you off balance. Bucky's not an Avenger for nothing, and those reflexes so useful in the field help him to catch you before you hit your head against the islands wall behind you.

“I've got you.”

“I love you.”

The words are out your mouth before you can stop yourself, caught up in the feeling of his arms around you, and the realisation that you'd give your life to keep him as happy as he looked a moment ago. Though you think you should regret such a blunt admission of your feelings, you don't. Bucky deserves to know.

He licks his lips, nodding slowly as he takes in your confession. Then he's tightening his grip on you and lifting you up and into his embrace, your giddy laughter mixing together with his as he holds you tight. You know it means a lot that he isn't afraid to touch you with his left arm, partly because of how often you casually intertwine your hands, and now he's got it wrapped around you you're glad you did.

Bucky hums as you run your fingers through his hair. “Double date after in the café?” He asks against your neck.

“Double?”

Pulling away, he nods over at your best friend sitting with his. “Steve appears to have found a woman he can actually hold a conversation with.” You watch them talk, noticing the blush on Peggy's cheeks, something you rarely see.

It's seems like swimming is a good idea for her too.

You're quite content to stand there in Bucky's arms, the warm water lapping around you as you stare at them, over the moon that Peggy seems to have found someone who can keep up with her wit, but eventually Bucky wants your attention back. Placing a hand on your cheek, he guides your gaze back to him, and when you lean into his touch he finally lowers his mouth to yours.

You won't deny you've dreamt about this many times since that first Thursday months ago. No fantasy, however, could have prepared you for the reality. Bucky's right hand twists through the hair at the back of your head, as his other keeps holding your waist close to his, your bodies touching as much as possible in shallow pool.

His lips are soft despite the cold weather outside, and you grin against them when he tries to turn the kiss dirty very quickly. Clearly he wants to make up for lost time, but you, at least, are still vaguely aware of where you are.

“We can't,” You gasp when he gives you a chance to breathe. “No heavy petting, or whatever, remember?”

“Oh doll, this is nowhere near heavy, trust me” he murmurs as his lips find yours again, and for a moment you sink into his embrace, letting his promise cloud your thoughts.

Snapping out of the haze you whine as you press half-heartedly at his chest, breaking the kiss. “Bucky! Behave.”

“I know the owner, it's fine.”

“What do you mean you know-”

“I'm thinking a slide into this pool, you got any ideas?”

“Did you make Tony buy-”

“Nobody made anyone do anything. It's just a very happy coincidence.”

You narrow your eyes. “Why don't I believe you?”

“Because I'm lying?”

You laugh at this completely ridiculous man in front of you, and this time you initiate the kiss, comfortable in the knowledge you're not about to be kicked out for indecent behaviour.

“I love you too,” He adds, pressing his forehead to yours, searching your eyes until he's satisfied you believe him. Kissing him quickly once again, you ignore the whistle from Peggy who must have just noticed the two of you, pulling Bucky's hand to guide him out of the water.

“Thursday's pastry day in the café,” You inform him, flopping down next to your best friend, “So you better start working up an appetite for our date.”

Saluting you mockingly, he walks along the pools edge and dives in the deep end to join Steve. You and Peggy share a look which says more than words ever could as you watch the boys race each other. The sunlight reflects off the choppy water breaking around their torsos, looking almost the same colour as Bucky's eyes you decide with a snigger, and when he stands up in the middle of the pool and blows you a kiss you don't think you've ever been happier.

Thursday really is the best day.

 

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr](https://buckybabybaby.tumblr.com/)!


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